
Best Film Ever
by Movie Podcast
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Recent episodes
Episode 329 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens
May 4, 2026
5h 00m 49s
Episode 328 - The Prince of Egypt (with that lucky so-and-so, James DeGuzman)
Apr 28, 2026
3h 48m 14s
WrestleMania 42 Review
Apr 22, 2026
1h 36m 25s
Episode 327 - All The President's Men
Apr 21, 2026
3h 34m 01s
Episode 326 - Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle
Apr 14, 2026
3h 18m 43s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/4/26 | Episode 329 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens✨ | Star Warsfilm analysis+4 | — | Star Wars: The Force AwakensA New Hope | — | Star WarsThe Force Awakens+6 | — | 5h 00m 49s | |
| 4/28/26 | Episode 328 - The Prince of Egypt (with that lucky so-and-so, James DeGuzman) | “Let my people go.” Join Ian, Liam & Megs for our 328th episode as we part the Red Sea, confront destiny, and revisit one of the most ambitious animated films ever made with The Prince of Egypt (1998). Kev? He’s not with us this week — he attempted to follow a mysterious burning bush into the desert and hasn’t returned. We assume he’s negotiating some very specific commandments. This week we discuss: The scale of the storytelling — biblical epic through animation. How does the film balance intimacy with spectacle? Val Kilmer’s dual performance — Moses and God. Subtle, conflicted, and quietly powerful. Ralph Fiennes’ Ramses — tragic, proud, and deeply human. One of animation’s most underrated antagonists? The music — from Deliver Us to When You Believe. Does the soundtrack elevate the film into something transcendent? Megs explores the film’s emotional core — brotherhood, identity, and the cost of doing what is right. Ian breaks down the animation — traditional techniques blended with early CGI. How well does it hold up? Liam questions the narrative focus — is this Moses’ story, Ramses’ story, or something shared between them? The depiction of faith — reverent, interpretive, and accessible. Does the film succeed regardless of belief? The plagues sequence — visually stunning, morally complex, and still haunting. The “show vs tell” balance — how much does the film trust its visuals versus its dialogue and songs? Ian goes all Old Testament, telling us that 'the book was better' and how they left the ultimate sideplot sitting on the table The ending — epic, earned, and emotionally resonant. Does it land as both spectacle and personal journey? And finally, whether The Prince of Egypt is the Best Film Ever — or one of the greatest animated films ever made. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 48m 14s | ||||||
| 4/22/26 | ![]() WrestleMania 42 Review | You know we love our wrestling here at the BFE (well… some of us do). Join Ian from Best Film Ever and Stew from The Stew World Order podcast as we break the BFE format by looking at WrestleMania 42. We discuss whether CM Punk vs Roman Reigns delivered on the big stage, why were there so many adverts, what was the point of Pat McAfee, did we care about the big return in the women's division, whether the Jade Cargill experiment is over now, and what was with all the wrestlers using each others' finishers this year? Catch more of Stew on his own podcast: Stew World Order athttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stew-world-order/id1559913522You can also catch him at his website where he writes about all sorts of fun things:https://swoproductions.com/ | 1h 36m 25s | ||||||
| 4/21/26 | ![]() Episode 327 - All The President's Men | “Follow the money.” Join Ian, Liam & Kev for our 327th episode as we type through the night, chase sources, and piece together one of the greatest journalistic thrillers ever made with All the President’s Men (1976). Megs? She’s not with us this week — she insisted on meeting a source in an underground parking garage and hasn’t come back up yet. We assume she’s waiting for a shadowy figure to confirm something. This week we discuss: Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as Woodward & Bernstein — contrasting energies, relentless curiosity, and the slow grind of uncovering truth. The procedural storytelling — phone calls, notes, dead ends. Why the film makes paperwork feel like high drama. The pace — deliberately methodical. Does the lack of traditional “action” heighten tension or test patience? Megs explores the role of journalism — integrity, persistence, and the cost of getting it right. Ian breaks down the film’s structure — accumulation of detail, repetition, and how small discoveries build into something enormous. Liam questions accessibility — does the film expect too much knowledge from its audience, or does it teach you as it goes? The use of sound and silence — typewriters, newsroom chatter, and the weight of quiet spaces. Deep Throat — myth, mystery, and whether the film benefits from keeping him just out of reach. The ending — abrupt, unresolved, and historically loaded. Does it land emotionally without showing the full outcome? We debate “show vs tell” — is the film a masterclass in restraint, or does it occasionally feel too distant? The legacy — how this film shaped political cinema and public trust in journalism. And finally, whether All the President’s Men is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the most important investigative films ever made. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 34m 01s | ||||||
| 4/14/26 | Episode 326 - Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle | "Welcome to Jumanji!" Join Ian, Liam & Megs for our 326th episode as we press start, pick our avatars, and get sucked into the chaotic, comedic, and surprisingly heartfelt world of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017). Kev? He’s not with us this week — he selected his character without reading the stats and is now stuck in the jungle with a weakness to cake and only one life remaining. We wish him luck. This week we discuss: The central gimmick — body-swap comedy meets video game logic. Why this concept works far better than it has any right to. Dwayne Johnson’s performance — bravado, vulnerability, and comedic timing. Is this one of his most self-aware roles? Kevin Hart as the reluctant sidekick — high-energy, fast-talking, and constantly outmatched. Does he elevate or overwhelm? Jack Black’s scene-stealing turn — Surely even Megs will commend his commitment, physicality, and one of the boldest comedic performances in a mainstream blockbuster. Karen Gillan’s balancing act — action hero competence with awkward teenage insecurity underneath. Megs explores the film’s take on identity — how stepping into a different body reframes confidence, perception, and self-worth. Ian breaks down the narrative structure — game levels, stakes, callbacks and consequences that are both earned and why the film’s pacing feels so clean. Liam questions the emotional core — does the film earn its character growth, or is it just well-disguised formula? The video game rules — clear, fun, and occasionally inconsistent. When do they help the story, and when do they get bent? We're looking at you, Nick Jonas The humour — broad, physical, and surprisingly sharp. Which jokes land, and which ones don’t quite stick? The ending — satisfying, predictable, or just the right amount of both? And finally, whether Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is the Best Film Ever — or one of the most unexpectedly successful reboots of the modern era. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 18m 43s | ||||||
| 4/13/26 | ![]() WrestleMania 42 (Preview) | You know we love our wrestling here at the BFE (well some of us...). Join Ian from Best Film Ever and Stew from The Stew World Order podcast as we break the BFE format by looking ahead to WrestleMania 42. Stew watched last year's show from Reliant Stadium and like most punters on that weekend, he's not going back.We discuss whether the build has been good this year? What is going on with Pat McAfee? Why have we forgotten about Randy Orton in all of this? Who were the biggest snubs this year? Can anything be done to save Jade Cargill? And how did Rusev and JD McDonaugh get on the card this year?We'll preview each match on the card as well as try to figure out John Cena & Danhausen's roles among the festivities as we discuss how to build a character, how to build a feud, and where WWE goes after the big weekend.Catch more of Stew on his own podcast: Stew World Order athttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stew-world-order/id1559913522You can also catch him at his website where he writes about all sorts of fun things:https://swoproductions.com/ | 1h 41m 29s | ||||||
| 4/7/26 | ![]() Episode 325 - Wag the Dog | “This is nothing. This is nothing. Why does the dog wag its tail? Because a dog is smarter than its tail.” Join Ian & Liam for our 325th episode as we step into the spin rooms, sound stages, and manufactured realities of Barry Levinson’s razor-sharp political satire Wag the Dog (1997). Megs isn’t with us this week — she’s been hired to produce a last-minute war in Albania (tight turnaround, great exposure). Kev? He’s currently composing a patriotic anthem that may or may not exist by the time you hear this. This week we discuss: Dustin Hoffman’s Stanley Motss — flamboyant, obsessive, and desperate for credit. Is this one of the great comedic performances of the ’90s? Robert De Niro’s Conrad Brean — calm, calculated, and morally untethered. Is he the real power in the film… or just the most efficient? The central satire — media manipulation, political theatre, and the terrifying ease of creating “truth.” We share many stories of what it means to guide an actor, when you should back off, and what do we do when we simply 'can't find the character' ourselves Ian breaks down the film’s narrative precision — lean, fast, and ruthlessly efficient storytelling. Liam explores the film’s relevance — does Wag the Dog feel prophetic, outdated, or uncomfortably current? The machinery of deception — producers, actors, composers. Who actually “makes” reality in this world? The escalation of the lie — how small fabrications spiral into full-scale belief. The “show vs tell” balance — is the film too clever for its own good, or exactly as sharp as it needs to be? Which character were we both all-out on? What does it mean for something to be satirical and at what point does that present itself in the film? Is it harder to get on board with the conceit of the film in 2026 compared to 1997 and why? Ian shares everything he knows about Albania and where he learned it from The ending — dark punchline, inevitable consequence, or the ultimate statement on power? The moral centre (or lack of one) — does the film care about truth, or just the performance of it? And finally, whether Wag the Dog is the Best Film Ever — or one of the most incisive political satires ever made. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE | 3h 44m 05s | ||||||
| 3/31/26 | ![]() Episode 324 - Inside Man | “It’s not about the money.” Join Ian & Megs for our 324th episode as we step into the perfectly constructed, quietly audacious bank heist of Spike Lee’s Inside Man (2006). Clocks are ticking, identities are shifting, and nothing is quite what it seems as we try to work out who’s really in control… and who never was. This week we discuss: Denzel Washington as Detective Frazier — cool, controlled, and always just one step behind. Is this one of Denzel’s most understated performances? Clive Owen’s Dalton Russell — precise, patient, and almost philosophical. Is he a villain, a hero, or something far more interesting? Also, is he more than just a poor man's Gerard Butler? Jodie Foster’s power broker — calculated, composed, and operating on a completely different level of influence. Do we forgive her more easily because of her gender? The structure of the heist — meticulous, layered, and deliberately misleading. How does the film hide its intentions in plain sight? Megs explores the film’s themes of power and privilege — what’s really being stolen, and who actually gets away with it. Ian breaks down Spike Lee’s direction and cinematography — style, pacing, and how he injects social commentary into a genre film without slowing it down. The use of misdirection — costumes, timelines, and narrative sleight of hand. When does the audience realise they’ve been played? The “show vs tell” balance — how much does the film explain, and how much does it trust the audience to catch up? The ending reveal — clever, satisfying, or just slightly too neat? Does the film even know what the ending of its own plot is? Are we satisfied with how it ended and what would be the danger of making it more explicit? The moral question — is justice served, or simply… redirected? And finally, whether Inside Man is the Best Film Ever — or one of the smartest, most rewatchable heist films of the 21st century. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 2h 11m 50s | ||||||
| 3/24/26 | ![]() Episode 323 - The Green Mile | “I’m tired, boss.” Join Ian, Liam, Megs & Kev for our 323rd episode as we walk the long corridor, sit with miracles, and confront justice, compassion, and cruelty in Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile (1999). It’s heavy, it’s heartfelt, and yes — we all know what’s coming… but that doesn’t make it any easier. This week we discuss: Michael Clarke Duncan’s towering performance — gentle, tragic, otherworldly. Is John Coffey one of the most emotionally devastating characters ever put to screen? Tom Hanks as Paul Edgecomb — quiet authority, moral conflict, and the burden of knowing what’s right when the system says otherwise. The film’s central tension — justice versus legality. What happens when the law is wrong but must still be carried out? Megs explores the emotional mechanics — how the film earns its tears, and whether it ever crosses into manipulation. Ian breaks down Darabont’s storytelling — classical structure, patient pacing, and why the film leans so heavily into sincerity. Liam questions if the film sacrifices characterisation for what the plot needs to occur Kev weighs in on the execution room and if the set designers missed a trick there The supporting cast — from Brutal to Percy. Who stands out, and who embodies the film’s darkest impulses? The treatment of death row — humane, harrowing, and unflinching. Does the film confront or soften its reality? The ending — cathartic, crushing, or quietly haunting? What lingers after the final frame? And finally, whether The Green Mile is the Best Film Ever — or one of the most emotionally overwhelming films ever made. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 30m 15s | ||||||
| 3/17/26 | ![]() Episode 322 - Mulholland Drive | “Silencio.” Join Ian & Liam for our 322nd episode as we drive headfirst into the dream logic, fractured identities, and eerie Hollywood mythology of David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001). Coffee is poured, clues are scattered, and certainty is politely asked to leave the room. We’re later joined for The Endgame by BFF of the BFE: Shai Bergerfroind, the man responsible for bringing this cinematic puzzle to the podcast in the first place. This week we discuss: David Lynch’s dream architecture — narrative fragments, emotional logic, and whether Mulholland Drive is meant to be solved… or simply experienced. Naomi Watts’ astonishing dual performance — hopeful ingénue, shattered dreamer, and everything in between. Is this one of the great performances of the 2000s? Laura Harring’s enigmatic presence — mystery, glamour, and the gravitational pull of Rita’s identity crisis. Ian examines Lynch’s vision of Hollywood — a seductive fantasy factory that quietly devours the people chasing it. Liam attempts to untangle the film’s structure — where the dream ends, where reality begins, and whether those categories even apply. The Club Silencio sequence — performance, illusion, and the film’s thesis delivered in one haunting set-piece. The supporting characters — gangsters, directors, hitmen, and cowboys. Comic absurdity or pieces of a much larger symbolic puzzle? The film’s treatment of identity and reinvention — Hollywood as both dream machine and nightmare engine. Shai Bergerfroind joins us for The Endgame — helping us unpack why this film matters so much to him, how he reads the film’s emotional core, and whether the mystery is actually the point. The ending — devastating revelation, emotional collapse, or simply another layer of the dream. And finally, whether Mulholland Drive is the Best Film Ever — or one of the most hypnotic and endlessly interpretable films ever made Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 36m 01s | ||||||
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| 3/13/26 | ![]() Reel Roundtable #49 - The Resties (2025) | Happy New Year! (it still counts, right?) Another bonus episode for your listening enjoyment as we bring you another Reel Roundtable discussion. Ian, Liam, Megan, and B-Tech Kev look back on the films they've reviewed in 2025 and have some more dubious awards to hand out in the form of The Resties. Comments, banter, and flat out arguments can be found as we debate the worst that we saw in 2025 (A full list of award categories and eligible films are located at the bottom of these notes) This year we're thrilled to have ballots from five of our patrons to help determine the winners and a couple of them cast some live tie-breaking votes. The Awards: Worst Screenplay Worst Special Effects Worst Score Worst Song Worst Musical Worst Costume Design Worst Art Direction Worst Villain Least Funny Movie (That was supposed to be funny) Worst Plothole Worst Cinematography Worst Duo Most Unlikeable (for a character we’re supposed to like) Worst Child Worst Context Corner Worst First Watch Worst Fall From Grace Most Unnecessarily Sexualised Moment Worst Aged Moment Most Overhyped Worst Patreon Selection Second Opinion (Down) Biggest BFE Blunder Worst Supporting Actor Worst Supporting Actress Biggest Therapy Session Worst Actor Worst Actress Worst Film Eligible Films: 300 American Psycho Babylon Black Swan Cinderella Man Crash Dirty Harry Erin Brockovich Field of Dreams Ghost Heneral Luna Idiocracy Inception It Jackie Brown Jaws Karate Kid Mask Million Dollar Baby Mission: Impossible 2 Moneyball Mr. & Mrs. Smith Once Upon a Time in Hollywood One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest Ordinary People Out of the Furnace Outbreak Poltergeist Predator Rocky Horror Ruby Sparks Rush Shallow Grave Shutter Island Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Superman (1978) Sweeney Todd The 40 Year Old Virgin The Fighter The Goonies The Holiday The Naked Gun The Shining The Social Network To Die For Toy Story 3 Tremors V for Vendetta What We Do In The Shadows Witness X-Men | 2h 26m 19s | ||||||
| 3/10/26 | ![]() Episode 321 - Memento | “I have to believe in a world outside my own mind.” Join Ian, Liam, Megs & Kev for our 321st episode as we piece together Polaroids, tattoos, and fragments of memory in Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending thriller Memento (2000). This week the BFE timeline runs forward, backward, and occasionally sideways — and somewhere in the chaos a mystery guest drops in to help us figure out what actually happened. This week we discuss: Christopher Nolan’s narrative construction — reverse chronology, fragmented storytelling, and whether genius sometimes requires a second viewing… or a flowchart. Guy Pearce’s Leonard Shelby — sympathetic victim, unreliable narrator, or architect of his own personal myth? The two timelines — black-and-white clarity vs colour confusion. How the film weaponises structure to manipulate the audience. Megs explores memory as identity — if you can’t remember who you are, can you still be responsible for what you do? Ian breaks down Nolan’s early thematic obsessions — time, perception, control, and why Memento feels like the blueprint for the rest of his career. Liam questions the film’s internal logic — how much of Leonard’s system actually works, and how much depends on blind faith? Natalie and Teddy — manipulators, victims, opportunists, or something much harder to categorise? The mechanics of storytelling — how the film reveals information while simultaneously making us doubt it. Our mystery guest joins us — helping us untangle the film’s structure and asking whether understanding Memento actually improves it. The ending (or beginning?) — revelation, tragedy, or the ultimate self-deception. And finally, whether Memento is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the most brilliantly constructed puzzles cinema has ever produced. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 18m 05s | ||||||
| 3/3/26 | ![]() Episode 320 - Thank You For Smoking | “If you argue correctly, you’re never wrong.” Join Ian, & Liam for our 320th episode as we light up the slick, fast-talking, morally elastic world of Jason Reitman’s Thank You For Smoking (2005). It’s spin, satire, and strategic deflection this week as we ask whether winning an argument is the same thing as being right. This week we discuss: Aaron Eckhart’s Nick Naylor — charming, composed, and ethically slippery. Is this one of the great “bad good guy” performances of the 2000s? The art of spin — how the film weaponises rhetoric, reframing, and misdirection to hilarious — and unsettling — effect. Satire with teeth — does the film actually challenge corporate lobbying culture, or does it admire its own cleverness too much? We break down the film’s tonal balance — sharp comedy undercut by quiet moments of moral reckoning. Liam explores the father-son dynamic — does the film ultimately soften Nick, or does it merely reposition him? Ian questions the target — is Big Tobacco the point, or is the film more interested in the machinery of persuasion itself? The MOD Squad scenes — Big Tobacco, Big Alcohol, Big Firearms. Broad caricature or disturbingly accurate power structures? Katie Holmes’ subplot — narrative necessity, tonal misfire, or commentary on transactional journalism? The ending — redemption arc, compromise, or simply another pivot in a long career of strategic positioning? We debate whether satire ages well — does this feel timeless, or does it belong firmly to its Bush-era moment? And finally, whether Thank You For Smoking is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the smartest, slickest comedies of its decade. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 04m 18s | ||||||
| 2/24/26 | ![]() Episode 319 - Pretty in Pink | “You said you couldn’t believe in someone who didn’t believe in you.” Join Ian, Liam & Megs for our 319th episode as we dive headfirst into lace gloves, record store shifts, and 1980s romantic angst with John Hughes’ Pretty in Pink (1986). It’s class divides, prom politics, and the eternal question of who really deserves Andie Walsh. This week we discuss: Molly Ringwald as Andie — resilience, insecurity, and whether she’s a fully realised protagonist or a Hughes archetype dressed in vintage. Blane’s behaviour — romantic lead or emotional liability? Does the film let him off too easily? Duckie’s devotion — lovable underdog, manipulative “nice guy,” or something more complicated? The class tension at the heart of the story — is the film actually saying something about wealth and identity, or just dressing teen drama up as social commentary? Megs unpacks the fashion — iconic, chaotic, deeply 80s. Does the final dress deserve its reputation? Ian explores the alternate ending — what changed, why test audiences intervened, and whether the original choice would have made for a stronger film. Liam questions the soundtrack supremacy — is this peak 80s needle-drop culture, or nostalgia doing heavy lifting? The father-daughter dynamic — quiet emotional centre or underdeveloped subplot? Are certain viewers predispositioned to be on board with this - or not? The prom climax — catharsis, compromise, or cultural time capsule? We debate whether the film romanticises inequality — and whether Andie’s final choice feels empowering or regressive. And finally, whether Pretty in Pink is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the most enduring teen romances of the 1980s. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 28m 44s | ||||||
| 2/20/26 | ![]() Reel Roundtable #48 - The Besties (2025) | Happy New Year (eventually)! Another bonus episode for your listening enjoyment as we bring you another Reel Roundtable discussion. Ian, Liam, Kev, and Megan look back on the films they've reviewed in 2025. Comments, banter, and flat out arguments can be found as we debate the best that we saw in 2025 (A full list of award categories and eligible films are located at the bottom of these notes) This year we're thrilled to have ballots from seven of our patrons and Ariannah, Synthia, & Paul join us to settle any and all tie-breakers (and there were a few).The Awards: Best Screenplay Best Special Effects Best Costume Design Best Art Direction Best Cinematography Best Context Corner Highlight Best Duo Best Villain Best Animated Film Best Voice Actor Best Musical The John Williams Award for Best Score Best Song or Theme Best Soundtrack Best Tearjerker Funniest Film Best BFE Moment/Rant/Quote Best BFE Argument The Abigail Breslin Award for Best Child Actor The Steel Magnolias Award for Best Representation of Women The Natalie Portman Award for Most Attractive Female on Film The Ryan Gosling Award for Most Attractive Male on Film Best Plot Twist (no spoilers) Episode of the Year Best Patreon Film Best First Watch Most Improved Viewing Experience Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting Actress Best Actor The Frances McDormand Award for Best Actress Best Film Eligible Films: 300 American Psycho Babylon Black Swan Cinderella Man Crash Dirty Harry Erin Brockovich Field of Dreams Ghost Heneral Luna Idiocracy Inception It Jackie Brown Jaws Karate Kid Mask Million Dollar Baby Mission: Impossible 2 Moneyball Mr. & Mrs. Smith Once Upon a Time in Hollywood One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest Ordinary People Out of the Furnace Outbreak Poltergeist Predator Rocky Horror Ruby Sparks Rush Shallow Grave Shutter Island Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Superman (1978) Sweeney Todd The 40 Year Old Virgin The Fighter The Goonies The Holiday The Naked Gun The Shining The Social Network To Die For Toy Story 3 Tremors V for Vendetta What We Do In The Shadows Witness X-Men | 1h 55m 21s | ||||||
| 2/17/26 | ![]() Episode 318 - High School Musical | “We’re all in this together.” Join Ian, Megs & Kev for our 318th episode as we lace up the Wildcats, grab the basketball (and the sheet music), and head back to East High for Disney Channel’s cultural phenomenon High School Musical (2006). It’s jazz hands, jump shots, and mid-2000s sincerity this week — and yes, we’re absolutely committing to the choreography. This week we discuss: The lightning-in-a-bottle appeal — how a made-for-TV movie became a generational event - especially for one member of the panel. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens — chemistry, charisma, and the myth-making of teen stardom. Does Hudgens get enough credit for the success of the franchise? Ashley Tisdale’s Sharpay Evans — villain, icon, or misunderstood theatre kid with ambition? Is she too good to dislike? Megs breaks down the musical structure — why the songs are catchier than they have any right to be, and which ones still slap. The team talks about the difficulty about the audition process - on both sides of the equation We talk about the differences in social cliques in the North American school system versus the British school system Ian talks about how the whole plot is a conceit that he can't fully buy into - but why? Thematically — identity, peer pressure, and the fear of stepping outside the box. Why this simple message resonated so hard. The “show, don’t tell” debate — does the film trust visual storytelling, or does it lean on dialogue and lyrics to do the heavy lifting? The Disney machine — how the film’s success reshaped the network’s future output. The ending performance — triumphant, predictable, or perfectly engineered for maximum serotonin? And finally, whether High School Musical is the Best Film Ever — or simply the most aggressively rewatchable Disney Channel Original Movie ever made. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 2h 56m 06s | ||||||
| 2/13/26 | ![]() Episode 317 - American History X (feat. an Interview with Director Tony Kaye - Brought to us by BFF of the BFE: Hermes Auslander) | “Has anything you’ve done made your life better?” Join Ian, Liam, Megs & Kev for our 317th episode as we confront anger, ideology, consequence, and redemption in Tony Kaye’s incendiary and unforgettable American History X (1998). This week, we’re also joined by BFF of the BFE: Hermes Auslander, and — in a huge moment for the podcast — we sit down for a special interview with director Tony Kaye himself. This one is heavy. Necessary. Complicated. This week we discuss: Edward Norton’s blistering performance — charismatic, terrifying, magnetic. Is this one of the great transformations of the 1990s? The black-and-white vs colour structure — memory, myth, and moral framing. How does the visual language shape our understanding of Derek’s journey? The film’s central question — can hate be unlearned, and if so, what does it cost? Hermes joins us to unpack the film’s cultural and political legacy — why it still resonates, and why it remains controversial. The prison sequence — brutal, pivotal, and narratively dangerous. Does the film handle trauma responsibly? We examine the fine line between depiction and endorsement — does the film risk glamorising the ideology it condemns? The ending — inevitable, devastating, and still capable of knocking the wind out of an audience. What does it ultimately say about cycles of violence? Our special interview with Tony Kaye — reflections on authorship, conflict over the final cut, working with Edward Norton, and how he views the film now, decades later. The legacy question — has the film aged well? Has it been misunderstood? Has it been weaponised? And finally, whether American History X is the Best Film Ever — or one of the most important and confronting films we’ve ever covered. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 4h 36m 11s | ||||||
| 2/10/26 | ![]() Media Madness #4 - Best Disney Animated Classics - | Frozen or Tangled? Lion King or Snow White? Robin Hood or The Jungle Book? Aladdin or The Emperor's New Groove? People have been debating which is the best of the best since Snow White opined that some day her prince will come and even today the best of us can't Let It Go. Joined by some of our Friends of the Podcast: Ariannah, JDG & his horseshoe, Hermes Auslander, Andy Dickson, and Sythia. We've determined to Be Prepared as we're setting up all 64 Disney Animated Classics in a single knockout tournament. We've got massive upsets, Cinderella runs (literally?) and much debate as we crown the Best Disney Animated Classic of all time. | 2h 01m 21s | ||||||
| 2/3/26 | ![]() Episode 316 - The Cabin in the Woods | “You think this is just a story?” Join Ian, Liam, Megs & Kev for our 316th episode as we descend into the basement, start pressing buttons we absolutely shouldn’t, and dismantle the horror genre piece by piece with Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s The Cabin in the Woods (2011). This week is less about jump scares and more about systems, sacrifice, and whether sometimes… you really should just play the hits. This week we discuss: The central divide — why some viewers desperately wish this film had played it straight, and whether subversion automatically improves a genre story. The two-year delay — why The Cabin in the Woods sat finished but unreleased, and how that limbo shaped its eventual reception. Ian’s major life milestone this week — and why it weirdly mirrors one of the film’s themes about control and agency. Who really enjoys the metaphor — and whether reading the film as an allegory enhances the experience or drains the fun out of it entirely. Liam’s unstoppable TV digression — the show he simply will not stop referencing, regardless of relevance. We spend some well-earned time talking about Catherine O’Hara — authority, timing, and why she elevates everything she touches. The mechanics of the horror machine — archetypes, rituals, and the illusion of choice. Megs breaks down the film’s gender politics — subversion, exploitation, and how knowingly the film handles both. Kev weighs in on the concept of gatekeeping and who gets to make all these rules anyway? The elevator scene — catharsis, overload, or glorious anarchy? The ending — nihilistic, freeing, or just pulling the plug on the whole genre. And finally, whether The Cabin in the Woods is the Best Film Ever — or simply the most elaborate middle finger horror ever aimed at its own audience. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 28m 18s | ||||||
| 2/2/26 | ![]() BFE Fantasy Box Office Competition (2K26) | The Fantasy Box Office League begins. Ian is joined by Friends of the Podcast Aashrey, “The Horseshoe” James de Guzman, and Paul Komoroski as 4 of the 10 competitors reveal their thinking ahead of a high-stakes draft:five films each, one year, most money wins. This is a draft built on instinct, spreadsheets, vibes, and blind confidence. We talk draft strategy, risk tolerance, franchise trust, and how quickly one bad pick can torpedo an entire season. We also talk copious smack about those who couldn't join us. Hovering over the conversation are the big 2026 questions: Event franchise dominance vs. prestige spectacle (**Avengers energy vs. Dune ambition) Reliable nostalgia vs. bold cinematic swings (**Toy Story safety vs. The Odyssey risk) Proven animation gold vs. superhero reinvention (**Super Mario confidence vs. Supergirl potential) No box office numbers yet — just claims, confidence, and future receipts waiting to happen. The draft hasn’t even finished… and the rivalries have already started. | 58m 09s | ||||||
| 2/1/26 | ![]() WWE Royal Rumble (2026) - Review & Reflections | Join Ian from Best Film Ever and Stew from The Stew World Order podcast as we break the BFE format by counting down to chaos at WWE Royal Rumble 2025 from Riyadh Season Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We discuss whether the Rumble matches delivered on surprises and storytelling—or if they were just a numbers game. Did WWE make the right call in crowning their Rumble winners? How did the Universal Championship match shake up the road to WrestleMania and is AJ Styles still on the road or has he taken the off ramp? We discuss how many kip-ups is too many for a show and what wrestlers do when their Super Mario stars wear off. We'll answer all these questions and hand out post-event superlatives celebrating the night's best (and worst). Catch more of Stew on his own podcast: Stew World Order athttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stew-world-order/id1559913522 You can also catch him at his website where he writes about all sorts of fun things:https://swoproductions.com/ | 2h 13m 55s | ||||||
| 1/27/26 | ![]() Episode 315 - Starship Troopers (w/ BFF of the BFE: Synthia) | “We're doing our part” Join Ian, Liam, Megs & Kev for our 315th episode as we suit up, grab the propaganda reel, and drop feet-first into Paul Verhoeven’s gloriously misunderstood sci-fi satire Starship Troopers (1997). It’s bugs, blood, and bare-faced ideology this week as we try to work out whether this film knew exactly what it was doing all along. Do you want to know more? This week we discuss: The tone problem (or lack thereof) — is Starship Troopers a dumb action movie, a razor-sharp satire, or both at the same time? Paul Verhoeven’s intent — does the film critique fascism so hard that some audiences miss the joke entirely? The performances — intentionally wooden propaganda archetypes, or just bad acting elevated by context? The aesthetics of fascism — uniforms, slogans, and spectacle. Why does the film make authoritarianism look so seductive? Ian breaks down the film’s satirical mechanics — how exaggeration, repetition, and irony do the heavy lifting. Liam explores audience reception — why the film was misunderstood on release and reclaimed years later. Megs looks at gender and violence — equal-opportunity brutality, shower scenes, and the illusion of empowerment. Kev weighs in on the action — but don't get him started on the never-ending rounds of bullets The enemy — are the Arachnids monsters, victims, or an invented threat to justify endless war? The propaganda interstitials — world-building masterstrokes or narrative interruptions? Synthia joins us for The Endgame — helping us unpack the film’s legacy, its political bite, and why it feels even more relevant now than it did in 1997. The ending — triumphant, horrifying, or both? What are we actually meant to cheer for? And finally, whether Starship Troopers is the Best Film Ever — or one of the smartest films ever disguised as a stupid one. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Paul Komoroski Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 47m 22s | ||||||
| 1/20/26 | ![]() Episode 314 - From Dusk till Dawn | “Everybody be cool.” Join Ian & Liam for our 314th episode as we cross the border, miss the last turn-off to sanity, and crash headlong into Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s genre-shredding cult classic From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). Megs isn’t with us this week — she took a job managing the Titty Twister and immediately exercised her right to not be around for what happened next. Kev? Last seen arguing with a biker about tequila and quietly backing away when things started growing fangs. This week we discuss: The hard genre pivot — crime thriller to vampire splatterfest. Is this one of cinema’s boldest structural swings or an act of deliberate sabotage? The first half vs. the second half — which film do we actually prefer, and should they ever have been stitched together in the first place? George Clooney’s breakout performance — cool, controlled, and shockingly confident. Did this film secretly create a movie star? Quentin Tarantino the actor — indulgent, uncomfortable, and deeply divisive. Does his presence add anything, or actively derail the film? Ian questions the film’s tonal discipline — is chaos the point, or does excess eventually become exhaustion? Liam explores the film’s grindhouse DNA — exploitation homage, midnight-movie energy, and why this works better at 11:30pm than 2:00pm. Salma Hayek’s iconic sequence — empowerment, objectification, or pure genre spectacle? We unpack why this moment still sparks debate. The violence escalation — gleeful, grotesque, and increasingly cartoonish. Where does fun end and numbness begin? The rules of the vampires and the timing of when characters turn — clear, flexible, or completely improvised depending on the scene? You won't believe the piece of literature that Ian wants to compare this to The ending — aftermath, absurdity, and the sudden return to moral quiet after absolute carnage. And finally, whether From Dusk Till Dawn is the Best Film Ever — or simply the wildest left turn ever taken by a mainstream ’90s movie. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Paul Komoroski Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 46m 16s | ||||||
| 1/13/26 | ![]() Episode 313 - A Few Good Men | “You can’t handle the truth.” Join Ian & Liam for our 313th episode as we step into the pressurised courtroom, moral brinkmanship, and razor-sharp dialogue of Rob Reiner’s A Few Good Men (1992). Button up the dress whites, take your seats, and prepare for a film obsessed with duty, power, and the stories institutions tell themselves to survive. This week we discuss: Aaron Sorkin’s dialogue as a weapon — rhythm, repetition, and confrontation. Is this peak Sorkin, or the moment his style becomes unmistakably dominant? Tom Cruise as Lt. Kaffee — charming, evasive, underestimated. Is this Cruise’s most interesting performance precisely because he starts behind the power curve? Jack Nicholson’s Colonel Jessup — operatic, terrifying, magnetic. Does the film become his the moment he enters it? The courtroom structure — how the film drip-feeds information, builds pressure, and engineers one of the most famous climaxes in cinema history. The ethics at the heart of the story — where does responsibility lie: with the men who carried out orders, or the system that created them? Ian talks about criticisms of the ending and if they're reading the film correctly We explores how masculinity functions in the film — honour, obedience, pride, and camaraderie The supporting cast — Demi Moore’s steely professionalism, Kevin Bacon’s moral slipperiness, and who almost got Kevin Pollak's role That scene — inevitability versus surprise. Does the famous monologue work because it’s shocking, or because it feels unavoidable? The ending — justice served, or merely order restored? What actually changes once the truth is out? And finally, whether A Few Good Men is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the most watchable, endlessly quotable courtroom dramas ever made. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Paul Komoroski Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 40m 00s | ||||||
| 1/6/26 | ![]() Episode 312 - For Colored Girls (w/ BFF of the BFE: Juleen) | “Somebody almost walked off wiith all my stuff.” Join Ian & Liam for our 312th episode as we step into the emotionally raw, confrontational, and fiercely theatrical world of For Colored Girls (2010) — a film that asks big questions about pain, survival, and voice, and demands we sit with the discomfort of its delivery. We’re later joined by BFF of the BFE: Juleen for The Endgame, as we try to make sense of what hits hardest… and what doesn’t land at all. This week we discuss: Whether For Colored Girls successfully translates from stage to screen — or if something vital is lost in the move from choreopoem to cinema. The central tension — is it possible to fully agree with a film’s message and still believe it’s not a well-made film? The sheer level of star power — and why the performances feel wildly disparate. Which ones moved us, which ones frustrated us, and which ones actively pulled us out of the film. Who unexpectedly steals the show — emerging from the ensemble to deliver a performance that cuts through everything else. The question of tone — is there simply too much poetry here, even when it’s beautifully spoken and powerfully performed? How close this film came to being worse — and how an originally cast actress’s pregnancy may have unintentionally saved the film from an even harsher imbalance. Ian questions the film’s direction and framing — does Tyler Perry trust the material enough, or does the camera overemphasise emotion that should be allowed to breathe? Liam explores the film’s confrontational style — is the lack of subtlety a flaw, or is subtlety beside the point entirely? The emotional toll — is the film asking us to witness pain, process it, or simply endure it? Juleen joins us for The Endgame — bringing insight, perspective, and lived context to the discussion, and helping us unpack what the film is reaching for, even when it misses. The ending — cathartic, overwhelming, or emotionally blunt? We unpack whether the final moments feel earned. And finally, whether For Colored Girls is the Best Film Ever — or a deeply important work whose ambition outpaces its execution. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE athttps://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Paul Komoroski Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/ | 3h 53m 55s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
6 placements across 5 markets.
Chart Positions
6 placements across 5 markets.






















